Sander for automobiles



Nov. 10 y1925- J. MALANCA SANDER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed out. 20, 1924 kj OJ/JA /V Patented Nov. 10, llli.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MALANCA, OF TACOMA, WASI-IING'I'ON.

sannnn ros AUroMoBInns.

Application filed ctober 20, 1924. Serial No. 744,660.

To all whom, it 'nm/y concern: I

lo it known that l', .losnrrr MALANCA, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce, State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful linln'oveinents in .Sanders for Autoniobiles, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to devices for applying sand to the rear Wheels of an autoinobile to increase the friction between the wheels and the ground and thus to prevent the Wheels from slipping When the brakes are being applied.. The objects of the invention are to provide an apparatus Whereby the sand may bc applied, if desired, at the same tiine as the brakes are applied and in. quantity in proportion. to the extent the brake apparatus is operated; to provide means connecting the brake operating ap-- paratus to the sand. releasing mechanism; to provide means whereby said connecting` means is automatically disconnected when the brake released; and to provide means to prevent sand from sticking in the nozzle.

I attain these and other objects by the devices, mechanisms, and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is a side view of my apparatus showing it inounted in an automobile; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the sand valve, showing` also a part of the sand box and of the sand delivery pipe; Fig. 3 isa plan view of one of the sand nozzles, showing also the cooperating wheel of the automobile; Fig. -1 is a vertical section of the connecting means between the brake rod and the sand valve operz'iting mechanism, and showing the means whereby the said parts are put into operative connection; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the floor of the car and a side elevat-ion of a part of my apparatus showing the method whereby my apparatus is put into operation. VSimilar nuinerals of reference refer to similar parts tl'iroughout the several views.

lt is a well known fact that, when the brakes of an autoinobile are applied while the machine is in motion on a slippery pavenient, the whcels readily lock and slide because of the low value of the friction between the Wheels and the pavement; and it is also well known that if sand be applied to the surface the friction is greatly increased.

ln the drawings I have not illustrated the brake apparatus except in so far as the said apparatus relates to this invention. The brake apparatus thus illustrated, coinprises a foot lever 1 of the usual form, pivoted at 2 to the car and passing through the floor 3 thereof in convenient position to be controlled by the pressure of the driver-s foot. The brake rod 4 is connected. toV the foot lever l in the usual way and extends back to the rock shaft 5, and thence suitable connection is made to the brakes on the two rear Wheels of the car.

A sand box 6 ismounted in any convenient place in the car, said -boX preferably having inclined sides, all leading to the gate or opening at the center, through which the sand passcs by gravity when the obstructing slide or valve is removed. The said opening communicates, beyond the said valve, with a sand delivery pipe 7 which branches lateraliy to convey the sand to the two nozzles 8, positioned adjacent the respective rear wheels 9 of the car. The wheels 9 are preferably provided With corrugations or other indentations in their surface and the falling sand is caught by these irregularities and drawn from the nozzle if it should begin to stick therein, and as the nozzle 8 is mounted from the spring supported body of the car, it is evident that the sand will be readily shaken therefrom and will fall immediately in front of the said wheels and will to some extent enter the said indcntations in the tire. The lower end of the box 6 is provided with a sliding gate or valve 10 which is normally held in closed. position by means of a spring 11 attached to it and to the box 6, and which has a hole or passage 12 adaptcd to be moved into alignment with the opening at the bottom of the box 0 When the valve 10 is actuated against the action of the spring 11 by the sanding apparatus. A stop 13 limits the closing motion of the valve 10 under the action of the spring 11 by engaging the box 6.

The valve 10 is connected to a sleeve 14, by means of a rod 15. The sleeve 14: is mounted on the' brake rod 41. The brake rod ll has a lug 16 extending therefrom near its connection to the foot lever 1. The lug 16 moves freely in a slot 17 in the sleeve 14. The lug 16 is provided With a notch 18 in its forward surface. A spring hook 19 is mounted on the sleeve 14, adjacent to and projecting into the slot 17, buta portion thereof projects above said slot. The hook 19 is positioned so that, normally, its hook end lies slightly above and forward of the lug 16 on the rod 4 in order that said lug 16 may pass freely under the said hook; but also said hook 19, when depressed, isadapted to engage the said lug 16,' and particularly the notch 18 therein, and thereby to conne-ct the sleeve 14 to the rod 4 so that when the rod 4 is actua-ted by the foot lever 1, the sleeve 14 moves with it and therefore the sand valve 10 is opened against the action of the spring 11 to the same extent that the brake apparatus is moved, and permits a proportionate amount of sand to drop from the box 6 to the nozzles 8.

The hook 19 is depressed into such engaging position by means of a separate device mounted in the floor 3 lof ,the car, in such position as to be engaged by the heel of the foot operating the foot lever 1; When the foot is slightly lowered on said foot'lever 1,` but to be missed by said heel if the foot is slightly raised on said lever. 'This device comprises a vertically n iovable' button 20, mounted in a. cavity in the floor 3 of the car and pressed slightly upward therein so as to project above the said fioor, by means of a spring 21, and has a downward projecting pin 22 passing through the floor 3 and terminating in proximity to the portion of the spring hook 19 which projects above the sleeve 14 When the brake is in released position. Then the button 20 is depressed by being engaged by the heel of the foot, just before the brake lever 1 is pressed, the pin 22 engages and depresses the spring hook 19 and brings its hook end into alignment with the lug 16 on the brake rod 4 whereby, when the lever 1 is actuated, the lug 16 moves forward and at once engages the hook 19 and thus operates the sand valve. The hook 19 remains in connection with the lugs 16 as long as the brake is not entirely released, but (the .heel having been removed from the button 20) when the brake is released the valve 10 is closed andl the stop 13 engages the box 6 and prevents the sleeve 14 from further' rearward movement. The position of the stop 13 is such as to stop this rearward movement just before the brake rod 4 has ceased its rearward motion and therefore the lug 16 is withdrawn from'cont-act with the hook 19, thus permitting it to spring up to its normal disengaged position, as shown in Fig. 4.

The lug 16, moving in the slot 17, prevents the' sleeve 14 from turning on the rod 4 and keeps the spring hook 19 in line with the depressing pin 22.

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. In an automobile sander, the combination of a sand box; sand pipes leading therefrom to the automobile Wheels; a slide value interposed between said sand box and said pipes Whereby the flow of sand is controlled; a brake applying apparatus including a brake rod; a sleeve mounted 'on said brake rod and connected to said slide valve; a lug on the brake rod; and a hook on the sleeve and adapted to be broughtinto releasable engagement with said lug, Whereby the sleeve and valve lare actuat-ed by the motion of the brake rod when the hook is in such engagement.

2. In an automobile sander, the combination of a sand box; sand pipes leading therefrom to the automobile Wheels; a slide valve interposed between the sand box and said pipes whereby the flow of sand is controlled; a brake applying apparatus including a brake rod; a sleeve mounted loosely on the brake rod and connected to the slide valve; a lug on the brake rod; a vertically movable hook on the sleeve, normally out of line with said lug but depressible into line therewith; spring means to keep said hook out of line With said Alu`g;,a button adapted to be engaged by the foot operating said 'brake applying apparatus; a spring resisting the motion 'of said button; and a pin extending from the button and adapted, When the button is depressed` to engage the hook to move it into line with the lug Whereby, when the brake applying apparatus is moved; the lug and hook move the sleeve and actuate lthe valve to release the sand.

JOSEPH MALANCA. 

